The Monster in My Bedroom
Augustus Remier

It started a couple of weeks ago. Some nights when I would go to bed, I would hear things. Noises, bumps, scratching, tapping, whispering.（这些都是幻觉。）Sometimes it even sounded like it was coming from inside the house. And I would see shadows across my window.（这也是幻觉。） I knew I couldn't tell 'cause（because的缩写） no one would believe me and that would just make it worse. Then one night, a monster came into my bedroom. It was a Tuesday. I remember the day 'cause it was my birthday（魔鬼来在我生日那天开始出现的。）. Mommy gave me a cupcake with a candle in it. Daddy didn't say anything. Sometimes it's better that way.（因为爸爸说话时就是发脾气。） But that night after I went to bed, the monster came in through the window.（也许没有魔鬼，这只是他的想象，因为他是个孩子，还不懂事。） He was dressed nice, but was very dirty. I pretended like I was asleep, but I kept my eyes open a little so I could watch him. I was very scared and tried not to breathe, or move, or think. He walked over to the crib（婴儿床）where my little brother sleeps and bent over it. I couldn't see what he was doing. He stood there for a minute and then he left, crawling out through the window. The next morning, my mom came in to get Bobby and started yelling for Dad (he's not really my dad, he's Bobby's dad. I never knew my real dad). （爸爸不是我的真爸爸，是妈妈再婚的丈夫。）Ambulances came and it was very busy. I tried to tell mom about the monster, but she said I was just having a bad dream and none of that really happened （也许这是安慰他的话。）but every night after that I lock my window and my door. A couple of days later we all dressed up nice and went to church for Bobby. Ever since then, Mommy cries a lot and looks at me sad. Dad spends more time at work which is good 'cause when he's home, he's very angry. （他可能怀疑这是我干的好事。）They argued last Saturday and I haven't seen dad since. Dad said it was my fault that Bobby was dead, that I was jealous of all the attention he was getting. "Bobby wasn't on his stomach when we put him to bed that night, but that's how you found him wasn't it?" Dad asked. Mom said that wasn't true, that Bobby died because of Sids（婴儿猝死综合症）. I don't know who that is. I thought maybe that was the monsters name, but Mommy always said there was no monster so I didn't ask her about it.

Tonight the monster came back.

I tried to be quiet, but he came over and stood at my bed. He said, "I know you're awake. The other night wasn't the first time I've been here, but tonight will be my last. I know that you're not happy here. Do you want to come with me? I promise no one will hurt you anymore."（*魔鬼就像是我的保护神，因为后爸对我不好，我感到不开心，他就杀死了后爸的亲生儿。） Before I could think, I nodded my head and everything got dark. I see myself lying on my bed. I think of visiting my mother before I leave but the night is no longer young and there are many children on this block. （夜已经深了，而且这里有许多孩子。这表示我害怕黑，也留恋这个地方，就没有离开。）

编者注：小说中的魔鬼到底是什么？是真实的还是虚幻的？到底象征什么？这是个仁者见仁、智者见智的问题。